Radical core of Hong Kong protesters who trashed city’s legislature were ‘prepared to die for their cause’
- Officials expect group to organise more protests and provoke further clashes in future to draw global attention to its quest
- If any protesters were injured or killed, police would have been blamed to spark condemnation and bring whole administration down, says source
A squad of radical protesters fancying themselves as martyrs, willing to die to draw global attention to their cause, led the violent siege of Hong Kong’s legislature on Monday, according to sources.
A government source said the group of around 10 diehards with a “bring it on” mentality were prepared to face batons and rubber bullets during clashes with police that day, and they were in the cross hairs of police going after those who perpetrated the unprecedented invasion and trashing of the Legislative Council building.
“The protesters at the front were willing to sacrifice themselves. They turned so violent, hoping police would use aggressive force against them or shoot them with rubber bullets or beanbag rounds,” the source said.
“If the individuals were badly injured or even killed, all the blame would have been placed on police so as to spark global condemnation, and eventually bring the whole administration down.”
The source said the administration expected this radical group to organise more protests and provoke further clashes in the future to achieve its aims.